I have a four month old Cavalier at the house for the weekend...first time here, just got dropped off this afternoon. He spent a few hours on John's lap, before I got home. I immediately took him out for potty, and he wouldn't go...so he went in the crate. He's been in the crate since 2 pm...it's now almost midnight. No pottying on any of the MULTIPLE trips outside. Off leash in the backyard, on leash in the front yard...no pottying. So back in the crate he goes. I rapidly tire of this behavior.

I can't help but compare him to the 4 month old Wiener that got dropped off at the house for a weekend almost two years ago. The Wiener was all about going out in the yard for pottying, and was into EVERYTHING in the house...playing with the big dogs (even though he'd not been around other dogs before)...racing around the yard, diving headfirst into the toy basket, trying to climb on the couch...etc.

This Cavalier pup is terrified of the dogs, terrified of noises in the dark when we go out, movement startles him, me yelping in pain (he has long nails and tried to climb up my bare legs) sent him scurrying away...etc. He is fairly quiet in his crate, so he does have that going for him. But I feel horrible that he hasn't pottied...but honestly, he gets a chance at least every 30-60 minutes...all afternoon and evening.

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

I can't imagine a puppy so quiet. Hell, Birdie is 7 years old and is worse than a Kender if we are in the house all day and don't go anywhere. She gets into everything & occupies herself with nefarious things unless I give her something constructive to do.

Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men ~ General George S. Patton, Jr.

She taking all the stars down from her sky to hang them up someplace new, where there's better weather and the sky's a different blue. ~ Autumn Fields

Hoyden wrote:I can't imagine a puppy so quiet. Hell, Birdie is 7 years old and is worse than a Kender if we are in the house all day and don't go anywhere. She gets into everything & occupies herself with nefarious things unless I give her something constructive to do.

yup, that's what I'm used to...

He finally pooped this morning (in his crate no less) but did go out and pee. He played a bit with Figgy and had a good time, but is now currently chilling in his crate because I can't watch him and pack the van for the weekend. Crazy having such a stuffed animal-type puppy.

"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw

Inara was a hellraiser as a pup. Never chewed on the wrong thing and was housetrained very easily, but cripes that girl was into and on everything. And her mouthing was out of control. "Skittish puppy" should be an oxymoron.

"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

yep, another hellraiser here. I'll credit a portion of that to my inconsistency and Wes' former inclination to encourage bad behavior and not understand that some bad = more bad where you don't want it

there were scarey-nippy zoomies a plenty, many items chewed in abscence, the bolting (I'll credit a large part of that to me), mouthing mouthing MOUTHING for months!

Now at 10 Wes provides the most inconsistency and lets Os boss him too much, and I think the result is that things will occaisionally get chewed on while Wes has him alone. Typically he just helps himself to the recycle and an empty pop bottle, but sometimes he looks for more dangerous territory to amuse himself.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

I dunno, I've met a couple that are quite interactive, I wouldn't say adventurous, but more normal dog interactive.

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07

It is true that the Cavalier is "primarily" a companion dog but they do have a history that goes back to small game hunting. They are supposed to be outgoing dogs at any rate.

My first personal dog (as much as a 12 year old can have their "own" dog) was an English Cocker and he was crazy. Got into things had endless, boundless energy. Basically was perfect for the kid who never wanted to be inside. Nothing like the pup you have described and it seems to me that those two breeds are somewhat comparable.